View: Everton surely set to finally bid farewell to long-serving star after recent news

Everton are surely set to say goodbye to Seamus Coleman at the end of the season after 16 years at Goodison Park, reinforced by recent news.

Coleman was forced to withdraw from international duty with the Republic of Ireland over the ongoing break, due to a hamstring issue [7 November] which has set back his recovery period.

This comes as the latest blow in an injury-ravaged campaign for the right-back, whose total appearances have significantly reduced in each season since 2021-22.

The 36-year-old joined fellow veteran Ashley Young in signing a new one-year contract extension in the summer, viewed as two huge dressing room influences in Sean Dyche’s squad.

But unlike Young, who has enjoyed a rejuvenated run of form and claimed three assists in nine starts, Coleman has played just a single game – the shocking 3-2 defeat by Bournemouth at Goodison on 31 August.

The Toffees legend’s dwindling impact on the pitch these days could force the club – soon to be under the stewardship of The Friedkin Group – to make the difficult decision not to offer Coleman another deal.

Everton may struggle with sentiment in Seamus Coleman decision

Whether Everton have the heart to dispense with Coleman in the summer remains to be seen – after all, another two-thirds of 2024-25 remain, during which time he could, like Young, return to a reliable vein of form and fitness.

An argument for keeping the skipper, who arrived in 2009 from Sligo Rovers, for yet another season is he is a beacon of much-needed stability as the club changes both ownership and stadium while battling to stay in the Premier League.

Coleman surpassed 400 appearances for Everton two seasons ago and deserves at least a degree of his future or departure on his terms, but is still on 424 games as his presence in the team declines.

Football clubs under the Friedkin regime appear as if they will be run with ruthlessness, illustrated by their double managerial sacking at Roma this season – firstly club icon Daniele de Rossi, then Ivan Juric after just 12 matches in charge.

This points towards the ownership having no issue with bidding what will eventually be an emotional farewell to Coleman, who has played under nine managers at Goodison, not including interims.

Does the iconic Irishman need to be cut from the books or kept around for the inaugural year at Bramley-Moore Dock? Only time will tell with everything up in the air.

In other Everton news, Jonathan Fadugba debates the idea of Thomas Tuchel dropping Jordan Pickford when he starts at England.

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